PastForward Diversity Scholarship Program

The Diversity Scholarship Program (DSP) supports attendance of community leaders new to preservation and emerging preservation professionals to the annual PastForward, National Preservation Conference. DSP participants receive financial assistance in the form of complimentary registration and lodging to attend PastForward. To date, over 2,100 individuals from diverse socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds have participated in the program and have helped enrich the overall preservation movement by contributing a wide range of perspectives at the conference and in the field.

We are no longer accepting applications for the 2015 Diversity Scholarship Program at PastForward. Individuals who submitted applications by the May 5th deadline will receive a decision notification the week of June 29.

Profiles of DSP Participants

Jaime Geronimo Vela (DSP 2010) of the Lipan Apache Tribe is a Ph.D. Economic Development candidate at New Mexico State University. His research and career aspirations focus on preserving Native American culture and its history. Watch a video of Jaime's latest project. Learn more »

Stay in the Loop

Subscribe to the DSP listserv to share information and discuss preservation issues with current and past program participants. All listserv subscribers must be a current participant or alum of DSP (formerly known as the Cultural Diversity Program (CDP) and Emerging Preservation Leaders Scholarship Program (EPL). Subscribe now.

My Journey on the Promise Road

Gwen Trice (DSP ’09) founded the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center in 2008 and serves as the executive director. She volunteers her time toward building connections in the community through lectures and presentations on oral heritage and historical structure preservation in her community’s rural landscape. She believes digital media plays a strong role in capturing and preserving this vital history.

Her documentary “My Journey on the Promise Road” pays tribute to the African-American men who worked in the logging community of Maxville, Oregon.

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The Fine Print

The Diversity Scholarship Program is partially supported through a cooperative agreement between the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Views and conclusions in this material are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the US Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the US Government.